1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable information terminal which can be held by hand and played by the user, and can also be used as an auxiliary storage unit for an information apparatus, a recording medium which stores a program to be downloaded into such a portable information terminal, and a program itself to be downloaded into such a portable information terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Slave units such as conventional memory card devices for insertion into, master units such as information apparatus such as entertainment apparatus including video game machines comprise an interface for connection to a master unit such as an information apparatus and a nonvolatile memory for storing data.
FIG. 57 of the accompanying drawings shows major components of such a conventional memory card device. As shown. in FIG. 57, a conventional memory card 1000 comprises a control means 102 for controlling operation thereof, a connector 1004 for connection to a terminal in a slot in an information apparatus or the like, and a nonvolatile memory 1006 for storing data. The connector 1004 and the nonvolatile memory 1006 are connected to the control means 1002.
The control means 1002 comprises a microcomputer, for example. The nonvolatile memory 1006 comprises a flash memory, an EEPROM, or the like. An interface for connection to the information apparatus or the like may comprise a micro-computer as a control means for interpreting a protocol.
FIG. 58 of the accompanying drawings shows control items in the control means 1002 of the conventional memory card 1000.
As shown in FIG. 58, the conventional memory card 1000 only has an apparatus connection interface for connection to a master unit such as a information apparatus or the like, and a memory interface for storing data into and reading data from the nonvolatile memory.
Conventional entertainment apparatus which allow the user to enjoy home TV games have a function to store a program and data into an auxiliary storage unit. The above memory card device can also be used as an auxiliary storage unit for such an entertainment apparatus.
FIG. 59 of the accompanying drawings shows a conven20 tional entertainment apparatus 1010 which employs a memory card as an auxiliary storage unit. The conventional entertainment apparatus 1010 has a rectangular casing which houses a disk loading unit 1014 substantially centrally therein for loading an optical disk as a recording medium for supplying an application program recorded therein, a reset switch 1016 for resetting the program being executed at present, a power supply switch 1018, a disk control switch 1020 for controlling the loading of the optical disk, and two slots 1022A, 1022B, for example.
The memory card 1000 for use as an auxiliary storage unit is inserted into one of the slots 1022A, 1022B. The result of a program executed by the entertainment apparatus 1010 is sent from the control means (CPU) 1024, and written into the nonvolatile memory 1006. A plurality of controllers (not shown) can also be connected to the slots 1022A, 1022B for allowing a plurality of users to play a competition game or the like at the same time.
It is been proposed to give a function to execute a program such as of a game to a slave unit that can be connected to a memory card slot in an entertainment apparatus serving as a master unit. The slave unit can also be used as a portable information terminal, and may find a wider range of applications and create new demands by facilitating communications with other devices.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable information terminal which can be used as a portable game machine for playing a roll-playing game (RPG) in particular, a recording medium that stores a program to be downloaded into such a portable information terminal, and a program itself to be downloaded into such a portable information terminal.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable information terminal which can achieve a battle mode for fighting with an imaginary enemy (e.g., a monster), a recording medium that stores a program to be downloaded into such a portable information terminal, and a program itself to be downloaded into such a portable information terminal.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a portable information terminal which allows a user to register imaginary enemies (monsters) defeated in the battle mode and view the registered imaginary enemies in a monster picture book, for example.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a portable information terminal which can perform the above battle mode between a plurality of users at any time in any place by way of wireless communications (e.g., infrared communications), so that the portable information terminal can find widespread use, a recording medium that stores a program to be downloaded into such a portable information terminal, and a program itself to be downloaded into such a portable information terminal.
A portable information terminal according to the present invention has character display means for displaying at least one imaginary character on a display screen, comparing means for comparing the input timing of a control signal and the output timing based on a predetermined sequence with each other, and influence determining means for determining the magnitude of an influence on the imaginary character based on the result of comparison from the comparing means.
A recording medium according to the present invention stores a program having the steps of displaying at least one imaginary character on a display screen, comparing the input timing of a control signal and the output timing based on a predetermined sequence with each other, and determining the magnitude of an influence on the imaginary character based on the result of comparison from the comparing step.
A program according to the present invention has the steps of displaying at least one imaginary character on a display screen, comparing the input timing of a control signal and the output timing based on a predetermined sequence with each other, and determining the magnitude of an influence on the imaginary character based on the result of comparison from the comparing step.
When a control signal is inputted at a certain one of the output timing based on the predetermined sequence, the magnitude of the influence on the imaginary character is determined depending on the output timing at the time.
When the program stored in the recording medium is downloaded into the portable information terminal, the portable information terminal may be used as a portable game machine, which can be used to perform a roll-playing game (RPG).
The influence may comprise a numerical value for reducing a level of the imaginary character, i.e., a numerical value for giving damage, or a numerical value for suppressing a reduction in a level of the imaginary character, i.e., a numerical value indicative of a defense against damage.
The influence may be calculated on the basis of a calculating value based on the length of the bar displayed when the control signal is inputted on an attack side, a calculating value based on the length of the bar displayed when the control signal is inputted on a defense side, and a variable derived from the difference between statuses of the attack and defense sides. One element for deriving the variable may include time information. The control signal may be inputted when a button of a manual control pad is operated.
The above arrangement makes it possible to play a game, i.e., a roll-playing game (RPG), in which the imaginary character walks in a mage, a field, or a dungeon, and fights against a monster that shows up, and the level of the imaginary character with respect to its physical strength and intelligent ability increases based on the experience of the fight.
The comparing means may have bar display means for displaying the output timing based on the predetermined sequence as an extensible/contractible bar, and the influence determining means may have means for determining the magnitude of the influence based on the length of the bar when the control signal is inputted.
The user can enter the control signal while viewing the displayed bar as it extends and contracts. The influence on the imaginary character may be increased when the control signal is inputted at the output timing when the bar becomes longest.
The user can thus enter the control signal while observing the rhythmic pattern (timing) of extension and contraction of the displayed bar in order to cause substantial damage to the opponent (monster or the like).
This allows the user to be able to fight against strong monsters on an even ground through training in a simple environment without having to resort to sophisticated skills as by memorizing a number of complex curses and taking a necessary item from a number of items. Therefore, children, e.g., elementary school pupils, can enjoy the battle mode in RPGs, and hence the portable information terminal will find widespread use among a diverse range of users.
The battle mode, for example, can be made more interesting by arbitrarily changing the pattern of extension and contraction of the displayed bar depending on the imaginary character. The portable information terminal may also have sound output means for outputting a sound signal whose sound varies depending on the extension/contraction of the displayed bar. The sound output means allows the user to recognize how long the bar has extended by listening to changes in the outputted sound without having to viewing the rhythmic pattern of expansion and contraction of the displayed bar. Consequently. the user can enjoy the battle mode while seeing the other user""s face, for example, when the two users compete with each other in the game.
The comparing means (step) may comprise mark display means (step) for displaying a mark capable of being successively operated with respect to the influence, in an arbitrary position in a display area of the bar before the bar display means (step) displays the output timing as the bar, and successive operation permitting means (step) for allowing the mark to be operated successively if the time when the tip end of the bar displayed by the bar display means (step) touches the display area of the mark agrees with the input timing of the control signal.
The comparing means and the successive operation permitting means allow the user to operate the button when the tip end of the displayed bar touches the displayed area of the mark, for thereby successively influencing the opponent. For example, the accumulated value of the influence achieved by the successive operations can be given as damage to the opponent, so that the principal character whose level is low can defeat a strong monster in an RPG.
The portable information terminal may further comprise table registering means (step) for effectively registering information of the imaginary character in an information table or canceling information of the imaginary character effectively registered in the information table when the level of the imaginary character becomes xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d.
The table registering means (step) may comprise means for effectively registering information of the imaginary character in the information table when the level of the imaginary character becomes xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d if the imaginary character is an imaginary enemy.
The table registering means (step) may comprise preparing means (step) for preparing for effectively registering information of the imaginary character in the information table when the level of the imaginary character becomes xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d if the imaginary character is an imaginary enemy, and means (step) for effectively registering information of the imaginary character in the information table which has been prepared by the preparing means (step) when the completion of a predetermined process is detected.
The table registering means (step) may comprise means (step) for canceling information of the imaginary character effectively registered in the information table when the level of the imaginary character becomes xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d. if the imaginary character is an imaginary ally.
The table registering means (step) can register imaginary enemies (monsters) defeated in the battle mode and the competition mode, allowing the registered imaginary enemies to be observed in a monster picture book, for example.
The character display means (step) may comprise means (step) for displaying an image depending on a level of the imaginary character, e.g., an image showing the equipment of a principal character as it is gradually improved depending on the level.
The character display means (step) may comprises means (step) for, if the imaginary character is an imaginary enemy, managing the type of the imaginary enemy to be displayed and/or the probability with which to display the imaginary enemy, based on time information.
Since the type of an imaginary character that is displayed changes depending on the time zone. Therefore, if an imaginary character is a monster, then a monster that shows up in the daytime and a monster that shows up in the nighttime can differ from each other. Because appearance probability of a monster changes depending on the time zone, furthermore, the RPG can develop with added fun.
The portable information terminal may further comprise a manual control pad having a direction control key, and path display means (step) for displaying a path for the imaginary character depending on an entry from the direction control key. The path display means (step) can display a scene in which the imaginary character walks in a mage, a field, a dungeon, or the like, for example.
The path display means (step) may comprise means (step) for displaying a path different from a predetermined ordinary path based on time information.
For example, a spot (an option) such as a cave which has not been present in the daytime suddenly may appear in the nighttime, resulting in an unexpected game development.
The portable information terminal may further comprise data sending/receiving means (step) for sending and receiving, by way of wireless communications, at least information with respect to the imaginary character and information of the bar displayed by the bar display means (step).
The data sending/receiving means (step) allows a plurality of users to compete against each other at any time in any place by way of wireless communications (e.g., infrared communications).
The data sending/receiving means (step) may comprise means (step) for sending and receiving at least information with respect to the imaginary character and a value for calculating the influence, the arrangement being such that an image including the bar is displaying by reading image information based on the information with respect to the imaginary character which has been sent and received.
Since image data for displaying the bars and image data for imaginary characters do not need to be sent and received on a real-time basis, the data processing in the portable information terminals is speeded up. As a result, a competition by way of communications can be performed between a plurality of persons at substantially the same speed as the speed at which a game is played by one person. Accordingly, the user can enjoy such a competition by way of communications with much fun.
The comparing means (step) may comprise mark display means (step) for displaying a mark capable of being successively operated with respect to the influence, in an arbitrary position in a display area of the bar before the bar display means (step) displays the output timing as the bar, and the data sending/receiving means (step) may comprise means (step) for sending and receiving a display width and a display position for the mark which have been determined by the mark display means (step).
Therefore, the mark that can successively be operated can be displayed in a competition performed by way of communications. The advantages offered by the above mark display can be achieved in a competition performed by way of communications.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.